This recipe is adopted from the Moosewood Cookbook. I’ve been making it since I began cooking for myself, and it was a favorite of mine growing up when my mom made it.
It falls into the not-super gorgeous instagram-ready category- it’s a slow cooked brown food. But with it’s humble appearance is a hearty forgiving loaf- seasonings can vary according to what you have on-hand and your preference- and it is absolutely delicious on a sandwich with a crunchy romaine lettuce leaf, dijon mustard and a sharp cheddar. Which is precisely the way I enjoy it!
Note on pottery- the finished loaf is displayed on the woven-rim serving platter- current rendition is available as a made to order item.
With baking time this is about a 2 hour recipe. 2 1/2 hours if you like to take your time when cooking. A food processor is handy for this recipe but if you are without, just take care to extra finely chop the ingredients. It will have more texture then a pâté but still works!
Bakes at 375 ° F
Ingredients
- 8 oz White Button Mushroom (sm package), rough chopped
- Two 16 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms (2 lg packages), rough chopped
- 1 Medium Onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil, divided
- 1/4 cup White Wine Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc work well.
- 1 14 oz Block of Extra Firm Tofu, pressed
- 1 1/4 Cup Walnut, toasted, rough chopped
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- Leaves from 6 or 7 Fresh Thyme Stalks, 4-5 Sage leaves chopped fine. If fresh is not on hand substitute with dry.
- 3 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1/2 cup Panko or other Breadcrumb
- 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
Method
- In large 12” sauté pan heat 1/4 cup olive oil and add onion on medium low, stirring from time to time until carmelizing. Press tofu - I do this by sandwiching it between two plates with a cast iron pan on top - a little precarious but it works, in about 15 mins enough liquid should be drained out of the tofu.
- When onion is caramelized, add diced mushroom with remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, tossing to coat. Turn heat up to med-high; a lot of liquid will cook out of the mushroom, stir occasionally, and keep cooking until it has evaporated. Allow some browning to occur.
- Deglaze pan with wine, lower heat to medium and add herbs, worcestershire, soy sauce and dijon.
- Crumble in the tofu, cook for a few minutes more then add bread crumb and walnut.
- Transfer 3/4 of the mixture to a food processor and pulse until it has a pate like texture.
- Mix processed ingredients with the remaining mushroom mixture from the pan.
- Transfer to a greased 9” rectangular bread pan, and bake uncovered for 50 mins or until top is browned.
- Cool. May be turned out onto a serving dish and topped with chopped parsley and a bit of chopped walnut if desired.
Enjoy!
